Colby and his best friend since the age of 9 Bev have had a plan for after graduatioWhy I picked it up: I was intrigued by the band road trip element.

Colby and his best friend since the age of 9 Bev have had a plan for after graduation for years: tour for a week with Bev’s girl band, then go to Europe for year and see everything. No college, no SATs, just travel. On the first day of the road trip with the band, Bev reveals that she isn’t going to Europe and she is going to college. For Colby, this is the ultimate betrayal—to apply and get recommendations and write essays, Bev must have known for months, yet she never told him. He wants to go home, but the band has gigs booked to the road trip continues.

I liked it. It was much deeper than I expected, and I really liked some of the side characters. The side plot about the tattoo from Colby’s dad’s band’s album cover I found to be particularly cool. And I really liked the note to the bike owners in Portland. 3 ½ stars.

Note: I read an Advance Reader's Copy. Content could change for the published version.

Why I picked it up: The ARC came across my desk and when I was lNote: I read an Advance Reader's Copy. Content could change for the published version.

Why I picked it up: The ARC came across my desk and when I was looking for something light and escapist, I was pretty sure Simone Elkeles would not let me down and I was particularly drawn by the girl kicker on the football team.

Derek gets kicked out of his boarding school for taking the fall for a group prank. His dad is on a military submarine, so that leaves Derek with his not-much-older-than-him stepmother and her 5-year-old son moving to Chicago to live with step-relatives he’s never met. Ashtyn longs to connect with her distant father, the parent she lives with since her mother left but who is pretty absent. To have something in common with him, Ashtyn started to play football. Now, the summer before her senior year, she is the kicker on her team and is shocked to be voted captain by her teammates. Her boyfriend, the egomaniac quarterback, is shocked, too. When Ashtyn’s older sister returns home after walking out 9 years ago, Ashtyn doesn’t expect her to bring a stepson the same as Ashtyn with her.

It was exactly what I needed in the moment I read it. It was hot. Steamy. The sexual tension was exactly like the beginning of an exciting new relationship. This is exactly what I would have wanted to read as a teenager. Characters who are good people, funny quips, and great romantic tension. Plus I have always loved “girls on the boys sports team” books. Derek and Ashtyn do not want to be attracted to each other. I found some of the characters too much of a caricature (like the quarterback boyfriend) but the main characters are well flushed-out. I found the last third to be a tiny bit of a let-down, but part of that was my break-neck reading. Note: this book opened my eyes to the existence of synchronized trampolining, which I didn’t believe was a real thing. It is.

Why I picked it up: I was home sick and found comfort in re-reading this favorite series.

This book picks up not long after Dairy Queen ends. DJ is nowWhy I picked it up: I was home sick and found comfort in re-reading this favorite series.

This book picks up not long after Dairy Queen ends. DJ is now on the football tea, but she gets injured. It’s not enough to stop her from playing football, but it could be enough to harm her ability to play basketball. She & Brian are now dating, but Brian doesn’t seem to want to acknowledge that or her when they aren’t alone. And as she’s grappling with that, her brother Winn is injured on national television.

I’ve said before how much I love this series and much of it is because I love this family. Seriously, the Schwenks are some of the most real, complex family stories that I’ve read. This can be a difficult read, more so than the others because of the subject matter, but it is handled so brilliantly. If you enjoyed Dairy Queen, keep reading about the Schwenk family!

The very first scene of the book goes back inWhy I picked it up: I’m pretty sure we’ve already established that I’ll read anything Ally Carter writes.

The very first scene of the book goes back in time two years from the start of the series to when Kat and Hale first meet—a scene that has been alluded to in the past, but that readers have never seen. After that, we move ahead to just a few months after Uncommon Criminals. Hale’s grandmother has died and in the reading of the will, the company has been left to Hale and Hale alone. Kat suspects a con, but she’s not sure how to tell Hale.

I liked it. I really like that we get to know more about Hale in this one. And we learn more about Marcus as well! The adults also play a more prominent role and it’s fun to see the family in action. I can’t think about the actual mystery for too long or I start to see holes, but if you are just looking for a good time with fun characters and snappy writing, this and the other books with the Heist Society crew are a good bet.

Contains: As long as you are okay with the premise of kids as really talented thieves, nothing objectionable....more

Why I picked it up: It’s on next year’s Battle of the Books list and is one the middle school media specialist & I are considering for our annualWhy I picked it up: It’s on next year’s Battle of the Books list and is one the middle school media specialist & I are considering for our annual collaborative book discussion. But in order to pick, one of us has to read it!

Mo lives in Tupelo Landing, North Carolina, population 148. She arrived there as a baby, blown in by a hurricane. She lives at the local café with the The Colonel and Miss Lana. The summer Mo is a rising 6th grader, trouble finds Tupelo Landing as a sheriff from Winston-Salem comes to town.

I enjoyed it. The citizens of Tupelo Landing are awesome; absolutely made me want to live there. I love small towns and quirky characters, so this was right up my alley. Dale, Mo’s best friend, is a great character, too, and I love how he points out the way the town is Mo’s family. A fun read.

Contains: man who beats his family (we know it happens and we see it in one scene, but it is not graphic)...more

Why I picked it up: I really liked Smile and I suspected Drama would be on the “Great Graphic Novels for Teens” list this year. I was right, plus it wWhy I picked it up: I really liked Smile and I suspected Drama would be on the “Great Graphic Novels for Teens” list this year. I was right, plus it was on several other lists.

I lettered in Drama in high school, but I was only on stage for one play. Instead, I did mostly behind-the-scenes (and under the stage) stuff, including running the box office for two years. But the stage crew kids don’t usually get much notice. It was super awesome, then, to see the stage crew get most of the spotlight in Drama. The characters were fun, believable, and age-appropriate. I enjoyed the characters and watching each of them do their thing, and I really admired Callie for her determination to get the cannon right. (My favorite scene is (view spoiler)[when they go to the cafeteria and do a scene and the cannon goes off, then all the students eating lunch immediately leave and get in line to buy tickets.) (hide spoiler)]

I read an ARC and while I suspect the content remained the same for the final book, mine had only one chapter in color. This didn’t bother me, and in fact I didn’t really notice it until I finished. But I checked out the published edition and confirmed that the actual book does indeed have color illustrations all the way through.

Rain Telgemeier is now officially my favorite graphic novel writer. I don’t know if this is only because the subject matter of both books so match my own teen experiences or if there is more to it. But Raina, if your next book is about pit orchestra or marching band, I’m yours for life!

Why I picked it up: It will be the next community read for my library (Spring 2014).

Clay is a web designer in San Francisco and he is out of a job. WhWhy I picked it up: It will be the next community read for my library (Spring 2014).

Clay is a web designer in San Francisco and he is out of a job. While wandering the streets, he sees a help wanted sign in the window of Mr. Penumbra’s 24-Hour Bookstore. Clay meets the unusual requirements and he becomes the night shift. The customers at Mr. Penumbra’s are unusual and Clay realizes that there is more to the bookstore than meets the eye.

I liked it. It was fun, it was intelligent, it was about books, it had characters I wanted to hang out with. Oh, and the cover glows in the dark! (Really. We totally tested it. In a supply closet at work. Of course that’s not weird!) It’s also interesting that it’s about the power of both books and technology and how the two can be combined, something I think people don’t realize is possible. (I’ve been told since I entered the library field that “libraries are dying” and “we have computers, who needs books” and “it’s all electronic now” and yet I am still a librarian employed in a library.) One thing that bothered me, though, was that the first person narrator would think things, and then other characters would answer as though he had spoken, but the thought was never in quotation marks, indicating it had never been spoken out loud. It happened several times.

Three and a half stars, but I will round up because I kept thinking about it after I read it and I liked the characters to much.

Quote: "I have waited my whole life to walk through a secret passage built into a bookshelf." Page 143

Why I picked it up: Honestly? We were picking up take-out to eat with my in-laws and the evening was going to involve watching football, which I don'tWhy I picked it up: Honestly? We were picking up take-out to eat with my in-laws and the evening was going to involve watching football, which I don't care about, and I forgot my book, so since there was a Barnes and Noble next door to the take-out place, I went in and looked for a paperback. I had heard of this one and was intrigued and, as required, it was in paperback and therefor cheaper, plus they didn't have the one I was looking for in stock, so I bought Speechless and read it while A and his family watched football.

Chelsea is a gossip. She's also best friends with the It Girl of her school, Kristin. When Chelsea sees something at a New Year's Party at Kristin's house, she tells everyone. Other students who hear Chelsea's gossip commit a hate crime that puts a boy in the hospital. Chelsea realizes that her actions helped lead to the crime, so inspired by a National Geographic article about a Monk who has taken a vow of silence, Chelsea goes quiet so she can start to think before she speaks.

I liked it. A lot. Chelsea is pretty self-absorbed at the beginning, but not to an unreasonable level, and I liked being inside her head. I liked her slowly realizing what and who mattered, and I really liked her realizing that she needed changes in her life. I also like how the subject matter was handled. The high school pettiness and meanness felt realistic. And I loved, loved, loved the gang at Rosie's. I want to work there. I want to eat there! I really liked the friendships Chelsea develops after she starts her vow. A thought-provoking read.

Why I picked it up: I heard my colleague Debby recommended it to a middle school student and it sounded interesting. And I had never heard of synestheWhy I picked it up: I heard my colleague Debby recommended it to a middle school student and it sounded interesting. And I had never heard of synesthesia so was interested to know more.

Thirteen-year-old Mia’s name is candy apple red with hints of green. At least, that’s how she sees it. She sees letters & numbers in color. Until third grade, she thought everyone did. Since getting laughed at over an unfortunate math class incident, Mia has kept her colors a secret. But they are are starting to negatively affect her schoolwork, so she finally tells her parents. After going to a couple of doctors, Mia learns that she has synesthesia, she is not alone, and she is not crazy.

I really enjoyed it. Mia seemed very realistic, as did her reactions to most situations. And her younger brother Zach is one of my favorite book siblings that I’ve read. (He’s the reason for the “characters I wish I knew” designation.) I’ve seen some other reviewers mention how young a 13 Mia seems, and I liked that. I was always young for my age compared to my peers, and I’m talking in the way I acted and what I liked. Are all teens that way, no, but it’s equally unrealistic to say none are. I did find it unrealistic that Mia would have never mentioned her colors to her parents or siblings as a young kid. I still found it to be an enjoyable story, as much about growing and learning about yourself in general as about a girl with synesthesia.

A word about the audio version: I liked the narrator and was glad I listened to it, as some of the medical terms would not have been pronounced correctly in my head. But it was a slow narration with lots of unnecessary pauses.

Why I picked it up: It was on the YALSA challenge list and sounded like my kind of book.

Rainey is seventeen. She lived most of her life in a small towWhy I picked it up: It was on the YALSA challenge list and sounded like my kind of book.

Rainey is seventeen. She lived most of her life in a small town with her single dad, Greg, but when he married obstetrician Lynda a year ago, they moved into Lynda's house in Toronto. Rainey didn't like moving away from her friends, but will be spending the summer before her senior year on a cross-Canada educational trip with 5 other students from other Toronto high schools. The day before she leaves, Greg tells Rainey that the trip will take her close to where her mother is, and her mother wants to see her. Rainey's mother left when she was only 6 months old and Rainey is convinced it is because she was born with one leg cut off below the knee. Now Rainey must decide if she wants to visit the mother she doesn't know.

I liked it. I am a fan of find-yourself books with a cast of characters thrown together, though, so it was a pretty good bet for me. I liked Rianey and how she would shut down people who were obnoxious about her leg. I love Alain. And I loved Lynda. (Those 2 are the reasons for the “characters I wish I knew” tag, especially Lynda.) The last third was a bit on the neat side, but overall I really enjoyed it.

Contains: language; sex; drug references

Quote: “God, all those hours I'd spent obsessing over him last spring. Hours that I'd never get back. Hours I could have spent painting a masterpiece. Or learning an instrument. Or even just... flossing.” (page 131) ...more

Why I picked it up: I have heard nothing but good things about this title, and heard many people upset that it did not win any awards in this year's AWhy I picked it up: I have heard nothing but good things about this title, and heard many people upset that it did not win any awards in this year's ALA awards cycle.

Doug Swieteck's family moves to Marysville, NY at the start of the summer. Doug is the youngest of three boys, with one still at home to torment him and the oldest brother fighting in the war in Vietnam. There isn't much to do in stupid Marysville, which is why Doug wanders into the public library one Saturday, the only day of the week it is open. It is there that he sees one of the drawings in John James Audobon's Birds of America and is enthralled. There is so much more to this story, but it is best to let it unfold naturally, so each new reader can experience it layer by layer and bite by bite.

I loved it. I'm not lying. I loved it. The story just unfolds, and each layer makes it greater than in was before. Doug is a master and not telling you everything and yet not hiding anything. There are fantastic characters here. And it is like The Wire in that even the “bad guys” have depth and back story, and you wouldn't believe at the beginning that you would end up cheering for a character that for the bulk of the book you want to punch in the face. (And I'm a pacifist.) Do you know what it feels like to find a book that has depth, sensitivity, laughter, tears, and genuine smiles? It feels like reading Okay for Now.

One thing that I really liked about Okay for Now that doesn't always work is the use of repeated phrases. I don't know why I liked it so much in this book, but I did. To the point that this review contains an homage or two :)

It has been a few years since I read Wednesday Wars, and I admit that I didn't really remember Doug. That didn't matter. Other than a brief appearance of Holling Hoodhood, this is not a sequel. I wouldn't even call it a companion book, in that I think one could read either alone and not miss anything and reading both in a particular order would not matter.

A word on the audio book: I really enjoyed the narrator. A lot. I understand that the physical book has black-and-white reproductions of Audobon's paintings at the beginning of chapters. I didn't know that until I was almost done with the book, so I didn't miss their absence. Doug describes the birds to such a degree that I could understand necessary references. Still, it's good to know they are there if other listeners want to look for the book to flip through.

The cover sucks! It does not even come close to being the brilliant cover that this book deserves! I don't get overly caught up in covers, but this one does not help sell this book.

Contains: nothing objectionable in terms of language or physical affection, but there is abuse in the story and some pretty horrible things happen to Doug....more

Why I picked it up: I listened to the other Bartimaeus books and was excited to read another book with the sarcastic, wise-cracking Djinn.

Bartimaeus iWhy I picked it up: I listened to the other Bartimaeus books and was excited to read another book with the sarcastic, wise-cracking Djinn.

Bartimaeus is working for one of the magicians who is among King Solomon’s counselors. King Solomon has a powerful, magical ring that can do wonderful and terrible things, and many wish to get the ring from Solomon, with or without taking his life as well. One of those who seeks the ring is young Asmira, a guard for the queen of Sheba. The queen has been threatened by one of Solomon’s servants and sends Asmira to kill Solomon and get the ring so that he can not use it against Sheba. Asmira and Bartimaeus meet in the course of both filling out their orders.

Bartimaeus is an absolutely wonderful, memorable, original character. I am thrilled to have another adventure with him. As with the original trilogy, the best parts of the book are those told from Bartimaeus’s perspective. He is wise-cracking and rude and just plain fun. I was glad to see Faqual back, as since this was a prequel I assuemd Bartimaeus was the only character I would know from the original series. I grew to like Asmira, though I wasn’t sure about her in the beginning. I especially liked the second half of the book.

A word about the audio: I love that this is read by the same reader as the other Bartimaeus books. I just don’t think Bartimaeus would be as wonderful to me without Simon Jones behind him. A great listen.

Based on iPods & MP3 players being in an antique shop, I estimate that this taWhy I picked it up: Had been hearing good things about it for years.

Based on iPods & MP3 players being in an antique shop, I estimate that this takes place about two generations in the future. A Civil War has been fought over abortion and the settlement is that life cannot be harmed from the moment of conception. However, when a child is between the ages of 13-18, a parent can choose to have the child “unwound,” meaning 100% of the body must be used in another living person. There are three main characters: Connor, Resa, & Lev. All are teenagers about to be unwound. Each has different reasons for being unwound, as do all of the unwinds we meet in the book. The perspective changes from chapter to chapter. We get Connor, Resa, & Lev the most, though we do occasionally have chapters from other character’s perspectives.

Holy Cow! Absolutely awesome! While the basic premise can be difficult to swallow (it is sort of explained why this compromise was reached, but it’s not the best explanation), the execution (no pun intended!) of this book is absolutely incredible. The characters, all of them, are multi-dimensional. Details of the society that seem just thrown out there in the beginning are brought back and make sense by the end. Each unwind has interesting and plausible and heartbreaking reasons for being unwound. And man, does it make you think. I was thinking about this book constantly during the two weeks I was listening to it. I even dreamed about the characters one night. And I’ve been thinking about it since finishing it. I cannot put into words how much I enjoyed this book.

A note on the audio: I listened to it, and I’m glad I did. There are some aspects of the book that are pretty horrific. (And one truly terrifying scene.) If I were reading, I know myself well enough to know that I would have skimmed a bit to lessen the horrors. On audio, I didn’t have that option. And this is a book where the horrors should not be lessened.

I understand that there is a sequel coming out this fall. I am sure I will read it, but I want to go on record as saying that I am satisfied with the ending and do feel that this is a stellar stand-alone.

Jessica’s Scavenger Hunt: Tattoo

Update April 2013: Re-read it for library discussion. This is an exceptionally good book for discussion.

Contains: hard to be specific on this one. The premise is pretty horrific, and there is one scene in particular that is graphic in its own way, but I still think it is appropriate for most middle and high school readers.

The action picks up not long after Magic Study ends. Yelena wants to learn more about her magic, but is also scarWhy I picked it up: Last in a trilogy

The action picks up not long after Magic Study ends. Yelena wants to learn more about her magic, but is also scared of what she has learned about her particular magic so far. She continues to be headstrong, a little impulsive, and to have the loyalty of those we as readers have come to know and love.

I find myself liking this book more and more as I think back on it and the series as a whole. There are things from the first book that come back here, and I always like that. When I had about 50 pages left, I kept wanting to pick up the book at stoplights, and that's always an indication to me that it's a good book! Parts are slower than others, and there is a lot of what I call "magic theory" here, which is less exciting to me. But overall, I really, really enjoyed both this particular book and the trilogy as a whole. The characters are the best part. When Valek would show up, I found that I was as happy to see him as Yelena was--another mark of a great character.

Why I picked it up: This is one of my all-time favorites and was the first free, out-of-copyright book I added to my Nook. I hadn't read it from coverWhy I picked it up: This is one of my all-time favorites and was the first free, out-of-copyright book I added to my Nook. I hadn't read it from cover to cover in a long time.

Never married siblings in their 60s Matthew and Marilla Cuthburt decide to take in an orphan boy to help around their family home of Green Gables. Except there is a mix-up in communication and when Matthew gets to the station, eleven-year-old Anne Shirley is waiting, thinking she now has a forever home. There is a period of growing pains, but imaginative Anne wins over the Cuthburts and all of Avonlea.

Reading this book is like visiting with an old friend. I love it so much, and am glad that Anne and her friends are a part of me. And, truth be told, I've been in love with Gilbert Blythe all my life! A wonderful escape of a book and one of my all time favorite characters.

I picked this up becuase the description I read calls the main character "a bookworm and a band geek" and goes on to say she plays clarinet. Yeah, thaI picked this up becuase the description I read calls the main character "a bookworm and a band geek" and goes on to say she plays clarinet. Yeah, that didn't sound familiar to me at all!

I really liked this book. The characters were the real strength. I wanted to know them. I wanted to live next door to them.

Lennie's older sister, Bailey, has just dies, and Lennie is coming to terms with life without her sister. That's about all you need to know in terms of plot, too much else will give parts away.

There were some really quotable lines; I actually started keep scrap paper in the front so I could mark pages. And there is even a part that gives a name to the kind of laugh I have. Who knew?

"When Sarah gets excited, random animals pop into her speech like she has an Old MacDonald Had a Farm kind of Tourette syndrome." (Page 47)

Later, on the male anatomy: "The first time Sarah saw one hard, she said more animal names came flying out of her mouth in that one moment than all other moments in her life combined. Not animals you'd think either. No pythons and eels. According to her it was a full-on menagerie: hippos, elephants, orangutans, tapirs, gazelles, etc." (page 126)

The whole family is sitting at the table and all crack up in laughter at the same time: "...Gram leaning back against the counter wheezing and gasping for breath, and me doubled over trying to breathe in between my own uncontrolled gasping and snorting, all of us lost in a fit of hysterics the likes of which we haven't had in months.'Aunt Gooch! Aunt Gooch!' Gram is shrieking in between peals of laughter. Aunt Gooch is the name Bailey and I gave to Gram's laugh because it would arrive without notice like a crazy relative who shows up at the door with pink hair, a suitcase full of balloons, and no intention of leaving." (Page 67-68)...more

I enjoyed this book a lot. A whole lot. First of all, it was refreshing to read a book set in December with snow on the cover and boots and hats featuI enjoyed this book a lot. A whole lot. First of all, it was refreshing to read a book set in December with snow on the cover and boots and hats featuring prominently while there during August in North Carolina.

Let me start off my saying that this book could never happen. I'm not saying you couldn't have an anonymous scavenger hunt across the city, but the number of things they did that involved getting keys for locked places and such really, really bends the line of believability. But that's really my only complaint, and it didn't really get in the way of my enjoying the book.

Part of me wanted to say, as I was reading it, that the characters didn't seem realistic. But, truthfully, I saw a lot of myself at age 16 in them, especially in Lily, so I can hardly make that statement. It is refreshing to read about characters who love books and language and a sixteen-year-old boy whose greatest wish (other than world peace) is an Oxford English Dictionary.

I loved the dares, I loved what the characters cared about, I loved Lily's family, and I loved Boomer. Boomer. What a great character. In a book with some great supporting characters, Boomer is the best. My favorite quote in the book is something Dash thinks about Boomer.

Quote: "You restore my faith in humanity. And lately I've been thinking that a guy can do far, far worse than surrounding himself with people who restore his faith in humanity." (p197)

Quote: I was attempting to write the story of my life. It wasn't so much about plot. It was more about character. (p198)...more

I'd give this book 3 and half stars if I could, but there were enough things I really liked about it to bump it up instead of down. Thirteen-year-oldI'd give this book 3 and half stars if I could, but there were enough things I really liked about it to bump it up instead of down. Thirteen-year-old Irene lives in NYC but is about to have to leave. Her dad lost his job and they can no longer afford their penthouse apartment. She and her parents move in with her grandfather who raises plants in his nursery in upstate NY. Though it sounds like this could be a "poor little rich girl" story, it's much more about Irene figuring out what she wants and how to say so. Irene's frustrations are not about the sudden lack of luxury, they are about the uncertainly of what happens at the end of the summer and her parents making decisions for her without consulting her.

The supporting characters are my favorites, and that's the main reason for the bump up. I love the Fox family down the street and how everyone is welcome in their home. The author has written the very family I hope to raise. The grandfather is wonderful, quiet and perceptive, and one of my favorite moments is when he shows Irene the loft in the barn that he has fixed up for her, because he both remembered that she always loved the barn and knew she would want her own place to just be.

One thing I didn't like: the cover is kind of creepy and doesnt' have anything to do with the story.

I was very pleasantly surprised to find a scene where the wonderful Fox family puts on a circus as a birthday present for their mother because I had been needed a clown for my reading scavenger hunt. Hooray for unexpected clowns!

Loved this! High school freshman Janie talked her family into moving to a farm when she was about 8 years old. She's sorry now. When she gets on the bLoved this! High school freshman Janie talked her family into moving to a farm when she was about 8 years old. She's sorry now. When she gets on the bus smelling like goat poop because it's her job to milk the three goats in the morning, her social capital plummets. (Her goats are named Loretta Lynn, Kitty Wells, and Patsy Cline. Love it!)

Great characters, fun moments, a guy named Monster (his real name; you can see his birth certificate) who is anything but. Plus a hootenanny! Seriously, what more can you ask for? Oh, did I mention the Click Clack Moo reference? Loved this book.

Reading Scavenger Hunt: works for both chickens as pets and quilt (a quilting bee, even!) I am using it for chickens.

Favorite quote: It was like reading Twilight and suddenly Harry Potter shows up in Chapter Eight. What was he doing there?

There's also a great conversation where mother and daughter communicate entirely in eyebrow wiggles....more

I’m a big, big fan of the two previous books about high school junior D.J. Schwenk, and this third (and final) book about her does not disappoint. D.JI’m a big, big fan of the two previous books about high school junior D.J. Schwenk, and this third (and final) book about her does not disappoint. D.J.’s voice is as wonderful as ever, and her family is as caring as can be despite the fact that no one is a talker. At the start of the book, D.J. is headed back to school, just in time for basketball season, after an extended leave of absence caring for her older brother after his spinal cord injury. After making headlines and even a spread in People magazine for playing on the boy’s football team, D.J. is looking forward to blending into the background at school and on the basketball court. No such luck. Everyone wants to talk to D.J., and college recruiters are already coming calling. I loved, loved, loved this book and these characters and the setting in small-town Wisconsin, and my only disappointment with this book is knowing it is the last from D.J., the Schwenks, and Red Bend, WI. A pretty tame YA, could be recommended to younger readers who are reading up. (What I’m trying to say is there is kissing but nothing more.)

Update April 2013: I’ve been re-reading this entire series and have upgraded all ratings to 5 stars. (Originally gave this one 4.) I love this series. I love how the family is so real. The characters are real. DJ feels real. A gem of a trilogy.

High School student D.J. Schwenk has two older brothers who were football legends in Red Bend, Wisconsin. D.J. had to quit the track team to help runHigh School student D.J. Schwenk has two older brothers who were football legends in Red Bend, Wisconsin. D.J. had to quit the track team to help run her family's dairy farm when her dad had to have hip surgery. But when the rival high school's coach, a family friend, sends his new quarterback to help out on the farm to learn discipline, D.J. becomes his unofficial coach. And it's while coaching Brian that D.J. realizes that football is her passion. This book manages to avoid some of the major sterotypes that one may expect from this sort of story. Many of the details, like all the (female) dairy cows being named after (male) football legends, are quite funny. I enjoyed the story and would recommend it. Plus it's got a great cover! (Well, they changed the cover for the paperback, but I admit I read it because of the original hardback cover.)

Update April 2013: I changed the rating from 4 stars to 5 upon my recent re-read. I love DJ. I love DJ’s family. I love the cows named after football players. And I love the (original) cover. I love that this is a sports story. And a family story. And a story about finding your voice. There is deep stuff here, and it’s fun too. I can’t stress enough how much I love this book.